Hello everyone,
That's right, today's blog entry is a list of things that monarch-lovers can and should do to help the monarchs - really. The emphasis here is on 'really' because this list will be unlike any you've seen before, or what you might expect based on what you've seen in the news or in your Facebook groups. That's because most of these items have nothing to do with planting milkweed (and I even recommend removing it in some regions), and some of these recommendations are changes you can and should make to your own behavior! So, if you REALLY REALLY care about monarchs, then read on. But be warned - I have some tough love to give, and I hold nothing back.
Before getting too far, first know that these recommendations are based on the collective findings from the latest research from the last 2 years, which shows that the North American monarch breeding population is robust and stable, but meanwhile, the fall migration is in jeopardy. If this is all news to you, then you should probably do some reading, and better yet, try to figure out why you aren't being better informed. This is actually part of the action items below.
I'm listing these recommendations in no particular order. Just know that doing some or all of these actions will be helpful for conserving the monarch fall migration.
If you live in Florida, or Southern California, get rid of your backyard milkweed. All of it, even if it's native. You are not doing the monarchs any favors in these regions, which both have growing levels of OE parasite prevalence. It's so bad now in these regions that nearly ALL backyard milkweed is now covered with OE spores and leading to new infections. OE is a serious issue for the entire N. American monarch population because it hinders the fall migration.
Stop it with the rearing. Monarchs reared in captivity are not as good at migrating. This has been shown over and over again with multiple research projects. I know you think that your monarchs, and your rearing operation is different, or that it wouldn't hurt to rear a few, but you're just not thinking it through. There are hundreds of thousands of reared monarchs being released each year by all of the small-time operations, and most of these monarchs are all poorly-suited for migration. What happens when those reared monarchs mate with wild ones and produce offspring? The other problem with rearing monarchs is that it contributes to the growing OE problem, as pointed out below.
Get out of the facebook groups that promote monarch rearing. Just leave them. You are being lied to in these groups, and/or being fed misinformation, or just plain no information. Admins of these groups are purposely keeping important research from you (like the research on rearing effects), or, they are telling you to dismiss the science. These groups are basically operating as forums for anti-science attitudes to flourish, which is no different than anti-vaxxers. Do you really want to be associated with people who don't believe in science? Just get out of those groups because they are promoting actions that harm the monarch migration.
The same thing goes for Facebook groups that promote planting non-native milkweed. Get out of those groups too. Again, the collective research on these plants, and their effects to monarchs, is very clear - it harms the fall migration, and makes monarchs less successful at migrating. So, not only should you not have these plants in your backyard (duh), you really need to get out of the groups that are telling you it's ok to plant non-native milkweed. Again, you're being lied to and manipulated by people who don't know what they are talking about and giving you harmful advice.
Help to better inform others about the science - the real science, and the real implications of the findings. That means share the science on monarchs to your friends. Join the online or IRL groups where science is actually discussed. I know I just told you to get out of the anti-science groups (where you would think the members need to hear the information), but at this point, those groups are a lost cause. The die-hard members are dug in, and will not be swayed by ANY evidence.
Get a microscope and learn to test for OE in monarchs. This is something that every monarch-lover needs to be able to do because of the growing prevalence of this parasite, which is really damaging the fall migration. We really need to know where and when the OE hotspots are, and the best way to do that is to get on-the-ground information about the infection levels from everyday people - that means you. So stop putting it off - buy the goddamn microscope (under $30 online), watch the how-to videos, and become proficient in testing. Catch the adult monarchs in your yard and test them - every year. This is especially important for people who live in Florida or Southern California, but really, we need this information from everywhere, and, for the fall migration. The more infection there is, the worse the migration will be. So stop putting it off, and stop complaining that you can't do it because you don't have the equipment.
Urge your local governments and roadside managers to NOT create "butterfly highways" or roadside 'pollinator' habitat. Yes, I know this sounds preposterous and against the grain (or at least the dogma), but the research on this issue is pretty clear when it comes to the monarch migration. Monarchs are killed by the millions on roads each fall, and the number of cars on the roads is steadily growing. Do you really want there to be flowers next to the roads that entice the monarchs to fly closer? So the next time you hear of an initiative to do this in your area, speak up against it - share the science.
Re-wild a section of your own yard, and allow the wildflowers to grow as they please there. Migrating monarchs need flowering plants for nectar during the migration. While we don't have much evidence one way or another on the question of whether this "migration habitat" is in decline, it certainly can't hurt to provide this in your yard for the fall migrants. Notice that I did not say "plant a butterfly garden." That is a phrase that tends to lead people to focus on the milkweed only, and in many cases, non-native milkweed too. And, people sometimes get to thinking that the butterfly gardens are ONLY for the monarchs, and so they go out of their way to remove any other insect that dares to use the "monarchs-only" plants. What I'm saying is to simply allow the wildflowers to grow in an unused section of your yard. Goldenrods are great for migrating monarchs, though they do spread, which is why you should have them in an unused section of the yard.
If you do have some native milkweed in your yard, don't micromanage it or try to "chelsea chop" it in the late-summer. This is where people cut the plants back to allow for new growth to be available for the late-summer breeders. While there is not much science on this practice, keep in mind that no one chops the plants back in the wild, and this is how the monarchs, and their migration, have evolved for thousands of years. In reality, there is nothing wrong with milkweed that looks old and raggedy at the end of the summer, in fact, this is the way it is supposed to look. There is even evidence that monarchs use this as a cue to tell them it is time to migrate. So, that means we humans shouldn't be trying to "extend" the breeding period in any way by extending the growing season of the milkweed. If anything, we should be encouraging early departures in the fall, because those migrants are more likely to be successful.
Common milkweed. While the question of whether milkweeds are in decline is debatable, there are multiple lines of research showing that Asclepias syriaca is the one species that promotes the greatest migration success for monarchs, as in, the caterpillars that develop on it are best-suited for the rigors of the fall migration. And, the vast majority of monarchs at the Mexican overwintering colonies are those that developed on this species. So if any milkweed is to be planted or sold, this is the one. However, most people also know that this plant will quickly take over a landscape, so I wouldn't recommend planting it in a small, confined yard. Instead, we should simply encourage it to grow in unused landscapes (where it already grows readily), such as old fields, powerline cuts, etc. If you're lucky enough to own some large property, consider starting some common milkweed plants on it. But then again, make sure you consider where this plant naturally ranges, and try not to plant it outside of its "native" range.
OK folks, I'm winding down now. Hopefully, this list will be useful for the true monarch-lovers who want to help conserve the fall migration, which is where the greatest decline is happening. On the other hand, if you read through this list and simply can't bring yourself to do any of these action items, then you should probably do some deep soul-searching. Maybe ask yourself, are your actions truly geared for helping the monarchs, or are they more for your own feelings?
Cheers
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